Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-08
HOW KID GLOVES ARE MADE.
Lambskin the Real Material Used-D
t,;is oF tI,e 1IauuFacture

tails of the Manufacture.
She stood in front Of the glove counter in
one of the large uptown stores and stretched
out a dainty hand, that seemingly could
strike only a love-tap, and wanted to be
fitted with a pair of gloves. 1t was hard
work to suit her, but she went away at last,
satisfied that she had the highest-priced
kid glove in the store. But she was wo-
fully mistaken. What she had bought was
much nearer sheepskin than goatskin.
People accept the statement that every
glove is kid that bears that name, while, in
fact, only small percentage of the gloves
sold as such are the genuine kid. The rea-
son is plain. Millions Of kid gloves are
demanded by the inhabitants of every large
country, while only few goats, compara-
tively, are raised in the world, and of these
a large number must be kept until fun
grown for breeding purposes. The demand
for gloves is much greater than the supply
of genuine skins, and substitute is found
in the lambskin, which makes an excellent
grade of glove and is easily palmed off for
kid. Genuine kid gloves can be obtained
al a high price, but thousands of people
who think they are wearing kid gloves
have only the skin Of the innocent lamb.
of late years several kid glove factories
have been started in this neighborhood,
and the manufacture of gloves has been
carried on in small way. There has been
no attempt to compete with the French
glove-makers, who easily lead the world,
but fair grade of glove has been turned
out, selling well and comparing favorably
with imported goods. In all the branches
of glove-makiDg here a high degree of
skill is required, and the workmen here
generally learn their trade in Europe
The lambskins. being selected with great
care. are taken TO The factory and put in
large tanks, partly filled with the yoiks of
eggs and other soft, sticky materials. Here
they are subjected TO thorough pounding
with heavy stick, padded so as not TO in
lure the skins. In some factories men
with bare feet tread on them. The object
of all this is to "nourish" the skin and
make it strong and healthy The skins
are kept in these tanks for a longer or
shorter period, according to the Judgment
of the Superintendent. II allowed to re-
main too long they become too well nour-
ished and decay. After the nourisling
comes the work of cleaning. The skins
are worked in tubs of fresh water, and
washed thoroughly until all traces of for
eign substance are removed from the out
side. They row become soft, and in color
dull white. They are laid on smooth
SlOlc cidD. WIN tbC iObsA clNc dOWuf anu
pressed and stretched until every wrinkle
has been smoothed out.
The skins being wet. remain in this
stretched state. and are then dysi.
The dye is laid on with a brush, and the
shade is always darker than the one de-
sired, for the dripping and after-trestment
tighten it at least one-quarter. The great
est care is taken to prevent any spots of dye
FIR nj getting on the inside of the skin, q
spot being serious defect in high-priced
glove. After the skins have been allowed
| drip for several hours they are taken tt
| to the drying-room, the air of which j:
kept at high temperature, usually BY
! steam heat. It does not take long fos Ia